The Peril of Falling Away

1 Therefore°aleaving°bthe Ielementary° teaching° about the IIChrist°, let us press° on to IIIcmaturity°, not laying° again° a foundation° of repentance° from ddead° works° and of faith° toward° God°,
2 of ainstruction° about washings° and blaying° on of hands°, and the cresurrection° of the dead° and ceternal° judgment°.
3 And this° we will do°, aif°° God° permits°.
4 For in the case of those° who have once° been aenlightened° and have tasted° of bthe heavenly° gift° and have been° made°cpartakers° of the Holy° Spirit°,
5 and ahave tasted° the good°bword° of God° and the powers° of cthe age° to come°,
6 and [then] have fallen° away°, it is aimpossible° to renew° them again° to repentance°, Ibsince they again° crucify° to themselves° the Son° of God° and put° Him to open° shame°.
7 For ground° that drinks° the rain° which often°Ifalls° on it and brings° forth° vegetation° useful° to those°afor whose° sake° it is also° tilled°, receives° a blessing° from God°;
8 but if it yields° thorns° and thistles°, it is worthless° and aclose°Ito being cursed°, and IIit ends° up being burned°.

Better Things for You

9 ¶ But, abeloved°, we are convinced° of better° things° concerning° you, and things that Iaccompany° salvation°, though°° we are speaking° in this° way°.
10 For aGod° is not unjust° so as to forget°byour work° and the love° which° you have shown° toward° His name°, in having cministered° and in still ministering° to the Isaints°.
11 And we desire° that each° one° of you show° the same° diligence°Iso° as to realize the afull° assurance° of bhope° until° the end°,
12 so° that you will not be sluggish°, but aimitators° of those° who through°bfaith° and patience°cinherit° the promises°.

13 ¶ For awhen God° made° the promise° to Abraham°, since° He could° swear° by no° one° greater°, He bswore° by Himself°,
14 saying°, “aI WILL SURELY°°BLESS°YOU AND I WILL SURELY°MULTIPLY°YOU.”
15 And so°, ahaving patiently° waited°, he obtained° the promise°.
16aFor men° swear° by Ione° greater° [than themselves], and with them ban oath° [given] as confirmation° is an end° of every° dispute°.
17IIn the same° way God°, desiring° even° more° to show° to athe heirs° of the promise°bthe unchangeableness° of His purpose°, IIinterposed° with an oath°,
18 so° that by two° unchangeable° things° in which°ait is impossible° for God° to lie°, we who have Itaken° refuge° would have° strong° encouragement° to take° hold° of bthe hope° set° before° us.
19IThis°ahope we have° as an anchor° of the soul°, a [hope] both° sure° and steadfast° and one which benters°IIwithin° the veil°,
20awhere° Jesus° has entered° as a forerunner° for us, having become° a bhigh° priest° forever° according° to the order° of Melchizedek°.